Bacolod council asks agencies to establish measures vs mpox

THE Bacolod City Council has approved a resolution requesting concerned agencies and departments of the city, through the office of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, to establish measures to prevent the spread of monkeypox (mpox) in the city.

Councilor Jason Villarosa, who authored the resolution, said mpox is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which can cause painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever.

He said it has been reported that as of May 22, 2025, a total of 19 cases related to mpox have been accounted for in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

He said among these are 10 confirmed cases, three suspected cases currently under monitoring, and six individuals who have tested negative according to laboratory results.

On May 24, 2025, the Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Health Office also confirmed the first case of mpox in their province, as well as in Iloilo City and Iloilo Province.

“Considering the close proximity of these provinces to our beloved city, preventive measures are highly recommended according to the discretion and expertise of the agencies and departments concerned,” Villarosa said.

He said it is also through this resolution that the public will be notified of personal preventive measures to be spared of unwanted interruption of everyday life caused by this virus.

The City Health Office (CHO) also earlier issued an advisory following the confirmation of monkeypox (mpox) cases in Iloilo City and Iloilo Province.

Dr. Grace Tan, head of the City Health Office (CHO) Environment Sanitation Division, said the public is advised to observe proper hygiene and avoid contact with infected people or animals with mpox.

“We need to be conscious that we have this kind of disease now so we need to report if you have symptoms that are not usual so we can do testing,” Tan said.

She added that currently, Bacolod City has no record of mpox or any suspected cases of mpox.

Tan said mpox is a rare viral illness that can be transmitted through person-to-person contact. It’s a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans. (MAP)